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w i n t e r 2 0 1 8 | 3 3 While the marriage of whiskey and donuts might seem out of left field, Breier noted that both have something very important in common: yeast. "We use a proprietary jug yeast in Knob Creek whiskey that comes from the original fer- mented yeast strain used by Jim Beam in 1935," she explained. The yeast used in whiskey differs from the yeast used in donuts, but its role is just as important; the jug yeast converts sugars into alcohol and has a large impact on the final flavor, with Breier calling it "the DNA of bourbon." After the event's featured cocktail—named Stay Golden Ponyboy after the famous line in the 1983 film The Outsiders—was served, Breier showed how to taste the whiskies using the "Kentucky Chew." The method was created by the late Booker Noe and involves swishing the whiskey around in your mouth and smacking your lips after you swallow; as a result, the whiskey coats your entire mouth and allows you to savor every nuance in flavor. During the tasting, Breier pointed out similarities between the pairings: "The savory flavor of the cheese cronut is a natural match with the dryness of the rye whiskey, and the maple glazed really brought out the bourbon's maple notes that come from the barrel-aging. You really need something with a back- bone to pair with traditional-style bourbon, and donuts have what it takes to make a perfect pairing!" Megan Breier is the West Coast American Whiskey Ambassador for Beam Suntory, which owns the Knob Creek label. The event's first paired tasting was the Knob Creek 2001 Limited Edition with a glazed maple donut. The flagship Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey paired with a traditional glazed donut. Knob Creek Rye Whiskey paired with a cheese "cronut," a hybrid donut/ croissant. Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve matched with a Captain Crunch donut. The newest Knob Creek offering, the 25th Anniversary Bourbon, was paired with a frosted bacon red velvet donut. KNOB CREEK® KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY, 50% ALC./VOL. ©2017 KNOB CREEK DISTILLERY, CLERMONT, KY. Stay Golden Ponyboy Created by Adam George Fournier 1½ oz. Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey ½ oz. Licor 43 4-5 dashes Miracle Mile Toasted Pecan Bitters 2 oz. Golden Grahams cereal milk Grated cinnamon ■cr

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